Classes at Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ) were adjourned sine die on Thursday with an order to vacate the hostel by Friday noon after the Ranchi district administration failed to mediate between students and the management - all this in the backdrop of a viral campaign on social media against the acting vice chancellor.
"The decision was taken at a meeting that the (acting) VC held with all deans of the varsity in the evening. The objective is to restore peace on campus and prevent damage to CUJ property. We don't want a law and order situation on the campus. All the 16 hostel blocks (housing more than 1,000 students) must be vacated by noon tomorrow," said Rahul Chaturvedi, the chief communications officer of CUJ.
Earlier in the day, senior administrative and police officers had been rushed to Brambe from the capital, 35km away, to stem the snowballing agitation over bad food. But, they were greeted with clamours for a new vice chancellor from hostile students who said they would rather suffer adjournment of classes than "mismanagement" under interim CUJ boss A.N. Mishra.
Classrooms remained locked for the second consecutive day as the four-hour tripartite talks that chief secretary Rajiv Gauba's three mediators - Ranchi deputy commissioner Manoj Kumar, higher and technical education department secretary Ajoy Kumar Singh and SSP Prabhat Kumar - convened with the CUJ management and students failed.
A Facebook and Twitter campaign at #CUJBEGS4VC, which could be traced to a July 21 origin, exactly a week before Monday's pronounced bad grub gripe on campus, also gained momentum on Thursday, two days after 19 students had to be hospitalised apparently for food poisoning.
"I am browsing (CUJ's roti puts 19 on sickbed). Have a look at it!" wrote one Anshu Kumar Jaiswal on Facebook, referring to Thursday's report in The Telegraph. His display showed an empty chair, a question mark hanging on top, suggesting that CUJ did not have a full-time VC since 2013. "Stand united for a change... Save CUJ," the display urged.
Scores of other Facebookers were found to have either liked or shared the logo.
"The VC should be changed for the sake of students," said one Salman R. Khan in a mail to The Telegraph. "A new and good VC for CUJ should be appointed ASAP," said a letter from one Unnat Singh.
"The university requires an honest person as VC. Kindly help us and our career as soon as possible," wrote sush.sumi17.
Besides demanding the ouster of acting VC Mishra, students on campus had also told visiting officials that they needed a new caterer while the advance mess charges of Rs 13,000 (a half of the annual Rs 26,000) must be withdrawn with immediate effect. Among other demands were maintenance of hostels and proper placements.
The team of officials, including Khalari DSP Pramod Keshri and Mandar BDO Gopi Oraon, spoke to the acting VC and teachers separately, but failed to end the stalemate.
Mishra had told officials he would shut the institute for 15 days "to solve all problems". To this a student, Alok Kumar Pandey, retorted, "Why only 15 days? Close the institute for a month or more; appoint a new VC. We don't wish to deal with the same set of officials when the campus reopens."
A section of teachers also backed student sentiments and vouched for Mishra's "incompetence".
"Appointment of faculty members has been pending for a long time while upkeep of campus and hostels is a far cry. The acting VC is indecisive on matters and always cites funds crunch," a teacher said, referring to the ongoing CBI probe into CUJ's building construction scam that involved former VC Darlando T. Khathing and others. The Union HRD ministry has stopped regular funds to the institute in the wake of the probe.
Deputy commissioner Kumar conceded that a solution could not be reached at CUJ. "The (acting) VC, teachers and students don't seem to trust each other. Food, basic amenities and a full-time VC are some of the demands. Our aim is to maintain peace on the campus. Police are already there," he said.
Will suspension of classes resolve CUJ's problems? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
